Vehicles, such as trucks, are frequently used to transport goods. Such vehicles often have a flat bed that is several feet above the ground which is designed to facilitate loading and unloading the vehicle from a loading dock positioned at the height of the bed. However, in many cases it is desirable to be able to unload/load contents of the vehicle to/from the ground, which is several feet below the bed. Retractable ramps or stairs may be used for this purpose, but such ramps and stairs that have been disclosed extend rearward from the vehicle, thus requiring a substantial amount of clearance behind the vehicle, which is often not available.